Income Investing

There has scarcely been a more important time for investors to hunt for high yields than right now.  The key reason? Safety. But it doesn’t have to stop there. I’m about to show you how you can lock in safe, double-digit yields, during times of economic uncertainty. All it takes is a couple of simple screening tools, the brains to understand that cyclical swings are an opportunity — not a reason for panic, and the guts to follow through with conviction.#-ad_banner-# As I’ll explain in a moment, readers of my High-Yield International advisory were able to do this very thing… Read More

There has scarcely been a more important time for investors to hunt for high yields than right now.  The key reason? Safety. But it doesn’t have to stop there. I’m about to show you how you can lock in safe, double-digit yields, during times of economic uncertainty. All it takes is a couple of simple screening tools, the brains to understand that cyclical swings are an opportunity — not a reason for panic, and the guts to follow through with conviction.#-ad_banner-# As I’ll explain in a moment, readers of my High-Yield International advisory were able to do this very thing in 2009. And if they could do it back then — during one of the most uncertain economic times in the past century — then it can easily be done again. First, let’s take a look at where we stand… Investors face myriad macroeconomic concerns in 2012. Since the beginning of the year, U.S. economic data have weakened markedly — job creation has been uninspiring at best, and consumers have been hesitant to spend. Meanwhile, many economists are worried about the so-called 2013 “fiscal cliff,” a host of tax hikes and government-spending reductions due to go into effect on Jan. Read More

The search for income-producing investments keeps getting harder. Uncle Sam continues to deliver paltry payouts on government bonds and notes, which has forced many investors to seek out dividend-paying common stocks. Trouble is, the popularity of these investments has pushed their stock prices up — and their dividend yields down. The average dividend-paying stock in the S&P 500 yields just 2.5%. Even investment-grade corporate bonds offer little help. The average payout (with a duration… Read More

The search for income-producing investments keeps getting harder. Uncle Sam continues to deliver paltry payouts on government bonds and notes, which has forced many investors to seek out dividend-paying common stocks. Trouble is, the popularity of these investments has pushed their stock prices up — and their dividend yields down. The average dividend-paying stock in the S&P 500 yields just 2.5%. Even investment-grade corporate bonds offer little help. The average payout (with a duration of 2-5 years) is just 3.5%, which is well below the historical average yield of around 5%. That’s why preferred stocks are getting a fresh look from many investors. Not only do their payouts often exceed 5%, but they offer the chance of solid capital appreciation if the stock market moves higher. Preferred stocks are a favorite vehicle for companies with steady, predictable cash flows. If the going gets tough, these companies can temporarily defer payments to preserve cash. This… Read More

Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN) is changing the world, again. The first time this happened, Amazon was changing the retail landscape and demonstrating that success didn’t require brick-and-mortar stores. In the late 1990s, Amazon gained more than 4,500% in less than three years, before peaking at $356 (unadjusted for splits) in December… Read More